Skating on the Canal
When I was a kid, ice skating was an outdoor activity... it was only EVER done outside! There was one indoor rink that we got to skate on every now and then, at BCS, but it was real ice with a building over top of it, so it was still way cold in there.
Skating outdoors is something that is a part of every Canadian kid's fibre. When I first played hockey in Quebec, Doug Bowker was my coach, and we only EVER played outside.... winter coats on under our sweaters, and toques under our helmets... our feet would be frozen by the time we were done..... and our nostril hairs caked with... never mind... you don't need that mental image!!
When I got older, and lived in Ontario, we played outside ... just for fun... there were no rinks, per se... it was in Forsythe's field down the road... man, it brings back good memories!!
Though I've been wanting to for years, I've never had the chance to skate on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa ... I may have to settle for the Trent Severn Canal in Peterborough!.. the above picture is the Canal in Peterborough, about 150 feet from the house I live in when I'm in Peterborough... I took this picture tonight when I got home from work...
Next week, I'm bringing my skates.... Too many good memories came flooding back tonight, to let this opportunity pass!
posted by Paul @ 10:15 p.m.
2 Comments:
Hey Paul,
Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I, too, was used to skating on outdoor ice. When I was really little, I learned to skate on a rink made by my dad on our property. In later years, many a Sunday afternoon was spent "family skating" on an outdoor rink in one of the parks in town.
The field across from my house used to have a natural pond which, under the right conditions, would freeze beautifully (now they're building houses there - go figure!)
After we'd skated/played hockey until we were frozen, it was home to Mom's homemade hot chocolate!
A wonderful family activity...and it's FREE!!
Thanks for bringing back some very fond memories. Enjoy your skate down the Trent Severn! Of course, there's always another option...you could try SKATING across Curve Lake!!! Just a thought!
skated on that canal TWICE! thanks to the Parringtons :) That pic makes it look smaller then it actaully is, although we never got to skate on it at night :(
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